Why Does a Scar Turn White?

Scars are a part of the skin’s natural healing process after it has experienced an injury, including accidents and any type of surgery. The new skin forms quickly as a way to protect the body from any additional threats such as bacteria and germs. There is often an overgrowth of collagen, which is one reason scar tissue looks different than other skin tissue. Furthermore, many of the skin cells become damaged, which can affect their ability to perform their regular functions.

Initially, most scars are red or purple in color because of the injury to the skin tissue and the underlying blood vessels, as well as the natural inflammation response that is part of the body’s healing process. As the scar continues to heal sometimes the tissue turns white, which is known as hypopigmentation.

What Causes Hypopigmentation?

Pigmentation in normal skin tissue is controlled by the protein melanin. Melanocyte cells produce melanin, and these cells are typically located in the deeper layers of the skin. The damage caused by a wound can damage the skin cells, and if it goes deep enough, it will also damage the melanocyte cells. When these cells are damaged, they cannot function properly, which means they do not produce the normal amount of melanin, which results in a lighter patch of skin or white skin.

How Long Does it Take for a Scar to Turn White?

The length of time it takes for a wound to heal depends on many variables, including a person’s overall health, the size and depth of the injury, the care taken during the initial healing of the wound, and more.

The body has a phenomenal amount of healing powers. When an injury to the skin occurs, the body begins to repair itself and protect the body, often resulting in a scar when the injury is deep enough. Over time, the scar turns different colors as the skin continues to regrow and heal, and new skin cells replace the damaged skin cells. However there are instances when the scar will overgrow its bounds, known as a keloid scar, or when it becomes hypertrophic (or raised.) The final color of your scar also depends upon if it was exposed to the sun without protection during the healing process.

Is a White Scar Permanent?

Depending on your normal skin color and the extent of the damage to the melanocyte cells, the whiteness of a scar and the surrounding tissue may or may not be noticeable. Those with darker skin will have a more obvious hypopigmented scar than those who already have a paler skin tone. If your scar results in a white scar, then it is permanent and there is nothing further that a scar treatment can do.

When you initially have a skin injury, using a scar cream that stimulates the body’s natural healing activity can help to normalize the process until the scar fades. Creams like InviCible Scars can help reduce the appearance of scars and fade hyperpigmentation of the area.

Have a question about your scar? Leave a comment and we’ll be happy to answer!

The information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please speak to your doctor to treat any medical condition. Information on this site is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

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The information on this site is provided as an information resource only, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please speak to your doctor to treat any medical condition. Information on this site is not intended to be patient education, does not create any patient-physician relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

How do i get rid of white scars from surgery. Is cosmetic tattooing or laser the best way to remove these scars. I have one on either side of my hairline side of neck. And i have dark hair so they really stand out and can’t wear my hair up.
Thanks so much ☺☺

Hi Keeni, a white scar is as close to flesh colored as a scar will get sometimes. It tends to be the opposite of most scars, which are overly pigmented. Tattooing a white scar flesh colored is an option, as there is no true way to entirely “remove” a scar (it’s an injury to the skin both on the surface and below the top layer.) Just be sure to seek out a tattoo artist who has experience tattooing over scars, as scar tissue is very different from normal tissue when it comes to ink “take.”

Hi Carly, the depth of the cut is unrelated to a scar turning white. It just depends on how the body heals itself. An overproduction of melanin creates a darker scar and lack of it creates a white scar.

I’ve had white scars for cuts that barely bled multiple times, so yeah it just has to be blood. That doesn’t mean that you WILL, but it can, depending on how it heals. The skin has to be parted though (in my experience, like you can see a space in between the cut) I have cats so I’ve dealt with scratches and scars a lot

Hi Ana, please don’t keep using peroxide. It’s good to use to clean out a wound when it first happens, but should not be subsequently used as it will also kill the good bacteria needed for your wounds to heal. Neosporin is great to keep it protected and moisturized.

I had a old, flat, white scar. For some reason or another i picked at it and now its pink and raised. 3 months ago it was red and very raised. It has flattened out, how long will it take to turn white. This happend ablut 4 months ago

Hello. I am African American with brown skin. I recently got a scarification strike brand from a piece of iron about 7 weeks ago which is healing pretty well. The day after, I noticed a sort of small “bruise” area outside of one of my strike lines. It later scabbed along with the brand and peeled as well. The original design of my brand is now hypertrophic and slightly raised on my chest and it looks nice as it is still healing. However, that small bruised area turned lighter in color and it resembles a very small circular area with discoloration from my normal skin tone. It is not raised, it is flat and level with my skin. It is fairly lighter, I wouldn’t say it is white, it is of a tannish/dark pinkish color. My scarification brand is darkening and is reddish/brown, yet that little circle is pretty noticeable because of its faint color. I believe it may be hypo-pigmentation? What can I do to resolve this? It also has a dark outline around it, as does my brand. Are there any remedies or products I may purchase to get this to darken and become one with my natural skin tone? I have scar-away silicone bandages, but I’m not sure if they will help me on this. I can provide pictures if need be. Thanks!

Hi CD, when a scar turns white, it is because your body did not produce enough melanin to re-pigment the skin. There is no product that can reverse hypo-pigmentation. Silicone will help to moisturize the scar and increase flexibility in the scar tissue, but has no effect when it comes to pigment. We do find more people tend to have the white scar tattooed over with flesh-colored ink to match their skin tone.

I had three tattoos that were cut out. The doctor could not cut it all out. I had picosure laser done to the tattoo that was left. I have a scar from the cut and a white scar. Can I get the color tattooed to match my skin color?

Hi, I got boils really badly on the back top of my leg (thigh) and my scars are purple, they are very noticeable as I am a pale color, and I was told if I get sunburnt and tanned over them it would be less noticeable, they have been healing for about a year now and the colour hasn’t changed, I’m so self confident about them and want to be able to wear short pants and stuff again, how do I get rid of the colour and help the scar not be so noticeable!????

Hi Darcy, whomever told you that tanning and getting a sunburn would improve your scars appearance was misinformed. UV rays can permanently darken your scars, which is why it has been a year and you haven’t seen any changes. You can read this post for more info: http://scarsandspots.com/how-does-the-sun-affect-scars. You’ll need to wear broad spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 daily whenever your skin is exposed to the sun, and re-applied every two hours to maintain its strength. You’ll also need a scar treatment that contains ingredients that fade scars – like InviCible Scars. It can take up to 12 weeks to see results when applied 2x daily consistently and used in combination with the protection of sunscreen.

Hi. I used to self harm and it’s been six months since I last did, anyways I have about three brown and red scars on my leg left. I haven’t went out in the sun at all but now I’m just trying to get them to go away. I’m just wondering since its been six months if they will ever go away.? Is it better for a scar to be red or brown? Thanks.

Im a student and im going to perform chacha next week, The problem is i have many white scars on my legs because of Mosquito bites Its so embarassing to wear a dress, Is there a chance to get rid of them? so i can wear what i want? I use different kind of product and it didnt work, Please help

Hi Justine, unfortunately there is nothing that can be done for a white scar. White scars are due to your body not producing enough melanin as the scar was healing. Oftentimes, there are many people who choose to get a flesh colored tattoo over the white scars to conceal them. Sorry we couldn’t be of more assistance.

Hi Elizabeth, Thanks for your post. To clarify, yes indeed, certain procedures can help, but our comment above was referring to topical products. There is no topical scar treatment that we know of that you can apply on a scar that will increase pigmentation.

Hi April, there isn’t a topical product that can increase the pigment in your skin. However, as the commenter mentioned, there are cosmetic procedures that can help. Also, some people tend to get tattoos that are the color of their skin tone as a way to camouflage a white scar.

Hi Remjiuce, a white scar is called a hypopigmented scar, which means your body didn’t produce enough melanin during the healing process. There is nothing that can be done by a product to change a white scar flesh colored, however many people often have their white scar tattooed flesh colored to hide it.

hi i’am 21 years old. 3 weeks ago i accidentally pour boiling water to my body. the affected parts are my shoulder, legs arms (2nd degree and 3rd degree) and almost 3/4 of my face (1sy degree) after an hour my moms friend brought me to hospital and recommended me to put flammazine on the affected area.. on my way home smaller blisters are forms and after 3 days its becomes bigger and it leaks… i consult it to my doctor then he admit me 24 hours to debride it except my face because it has no blister and it becomes dry. after debridment every 3 days nurse change and cleanse my wound from debridement then after 1 week my wound totally dry and as my doctor says its healing process is good and he remove all my bandages. i noticed that my wound is white and some are pinkish and purple and have some brown spot inside and around my wound the color of my skin is darker than my normal skin color. i just want to ask if my skin will come back to my normal color. after a month?

…..i think my face is totally healed but i noticed that some part of it becomes white. what should i do to back back it to the my normal skin color. i can provide picture if necessary.

Hi Nel, sorry to hear this happened to you. It takes about 1-2 years for scars to completely heal, so 3 weeks is not enough time to know what the final result will be. If you scar turned white, there is nothing more that can be done for that scar. However, for red, purple and brown scars, you can apply a scar treatment 2x daily over the course of several months to see a noticeable difference.

Hi Kazi, to soften your scar try massaging it. To fade the discoloration, applying a scar treatment 2x a day is recommended. Additionally, if the scar is on an area of the body that is exposed to sunlight (such as an arm or leg), always use a sunscreen of SPF 30+ daily to prevent it from further darkening from UV rays.

Hi, 6 months ago I did a tca cross for my acne scars on one side of my face to begin with I had red deep marks and was really unhappy but over time in 6 months my face looks alot better and its all nearly filled in and I’m happy now, my question is sometimes my marks change colour from red to normal colour is that because the healing process is still ongoing, most of the time my marks are normal.colour, thanks.

Hi David, It could be healing but once the marks are normal skin color, they shouldn’t change color again. It could be hyperpigmentation due to sun exposure. The skin is more prone to hyperpigmentation after any skin treatment or resurfacing procedure. Try using InviCible Scars under a skin-friendly sunblock. Could make a huge difference.

Hi, so this person I know scratched me with her nail(s) and one of the scratches wasn’t that deep but it hurt the most and I honestly don’t remember the healing process of what I did but it made a white scar and I really hate it and don’t want it there. Is there ANY other way than tattooing to get rid of it?? It didn’t happen that long ago but will it fade?

Hi, I have a white scar on my lip which is raised and it’s really noticeable. It used to be shallow, but I kept picking at it and now it’s turned white and hard. I put creams like Hirudoid Cream and Solosite in an attempt to reduce the scarring, but it’s been about 3 months and it’s still there. Is there any way to remove it so that the skin turns back to normal?

Um I self harmed my arm but really just scratched the tip top layer a little hard no bleeding and it been like 2 months now they are just white they kinda blend in but not a lot I’m like white but tan and they are just white the are smooth but I want them gone I’m 14 I am scared to wear short sleeve and I feel like everyone will be mean so what should I do to get rid of them?

i met with an bike accident two months ago . i got a hurt in my right hand . after healing it appeared in white color . after two months also it is in white color only . only i can see an improvement tat the white skin is very slowly changing its colour to brown colour . it is itching like a hell and i try to overcome it . my question is will it heal . do i need a medica treatment . for that ?

Hi Sharan, a white scar means it lacks pigment – it is very unlikely that the scar itself is turning brown, but more likely that it is the surrounding skin becoming hyperpigmented. As scars heal, which takes 1-2 years, itchiness is very common. Try applying hydrocortisone cream to help with this.

Hi, I had breast augmentation surgery two years ago, and it left a scar on the border of my nipples. The scar tissue went through several stages but recently it turned white and elevated. I don’t mind the color since my skin is very pale, but is there any way to flatten it so it’s less noticeable?

Hi, in October 2014 i had a spot appear on my cheek i tried to pop it and was left with a scab. Once the scab had gone i was left with a bright red mark/scar on my face. Now it is a tanned brown colour, and when i touch it it turns red on my really pale skin. I dont understand why this happens? I am really worried about the damage i have caused. Will i always have a tanned scar on my face? How long does it take for a scar to fade and fully mature? I am using the Invincible scar cream to try and fade it.

Hi Jodie, it takes about 1-2 years for a scar to fully mature. Since it is on your face, have you been applying sunscreen with a minimum SPF 30 daily? This is very important because scar tissue is different from normal tissue and will darken when exposed to the sun. In addition to InviCible Scars, be sure you are wearing sunscreen or else you will fade the scar with InviCible, only to have the sun darken it again.

Hi, I badly need help. I had an allergy 2 months ago which appeared all over my body. It was almost the same with shingle’s appearance but it wasn’t shingles. Lol 😀 It took 2 weeks to dissappear but the it produced scars all over. And these scars are white, the exact opposite of my scars. I’ve been applying ointments and oils and prayers for this one but no effect at all. I am planning to go the dermatologist but I’m still searching for remedies while I’m saving for money. I really do hope you could help me, I slowly getting frustrated with my scars! Thank you and God bless.

Hi so I have a few scars on my face because of picking on pimples. What happened was that pimples appeared on my face during summer and I picked them until they became scars and I didn’t let the scars fall off naturally. It is now almost the end of school (we are halfway through the second semester). My scar is a little bit lighter than my skin color, do you know any creams that are located in local drug stores that may help with my problem?

I had surgery in December 2014 and have two large white scars. I was very diligent in covering them with sunscreen last summer but it left a halo around the scars because the skin around them didn’t tan. Do I need to be as protective of the scars now that they are fully white and flat? Or can I use the same SPF as the rest of my body now?

Hey my son had open heart surgery a month ago he is of a darker skin and at the top and bottoms of the scar it is raised and very dark compared to the rest of his skin in between it is a raised reddish brownish line with breaks of flat white lines tell me what is this will it ever go away and will it be always visible does it bigger as he grows he’s 14 my son actually quite likes his scar he thinks of it as a scar that shows how brave he was what he whent through and so he would like the scar to be with him forever will this be so ?thanks

Hi. My name is Shay i have these scars on my edges of my hair line which are white. I never had any surgery or head injury they just appeared and been there for quite some time. Right on the hairline above my forehead. What can that be any ideas or suggestions. Thank you in advance

hey I have done a laser treatment on my face & now I got white scars. after 40 days of treatment also the scars are permanent & the bitter part is they are on my face. what shall I do now I m worried a lot regarding this. plz do help me.

One month ago, I have a burn on my leg after an accident of pouring boiling water onto it. It does not blister but the burn skin is in different colour(darker) compared to my normal fair skin. Can I know how to differentiate between the burn scar that fade overtime and does not fade overtime?

I have scars on my upper lip. Corner of my left upper lip and little bit on my right and I’m brown skin and it is very visible and not pretty how can I make it more invisible even if it’s a little bit! Especially in summer my skins get darker and it gets pretty bad and obvious

hi hopefully you will be doing good. I got burnt last month from flames of gas. my face and hands were burnt. My skin was initially pink then it turned black. can you tell me please will it return to normal colour or not and how much time it will take. some regions of my face have returned to normal colour but the regions below the eyes are black. it was first degree burn.

First degree burns usually heal completely. Some people experience hyperpigmentation which can last for several months. Topical treatments (like InviCible) can help. Be sure to sunblock the areas whenever you are out and about to decrease the risk of the hyperpigmentation getting worse.

Hello! I have very old (about 10 years old) raised, white scars from SI on my inner arm. I’m very fair skinned, so they only stand out because they are raised. Is there anything that can be done to get them down to the level of my normal skin?

Hi Jess, If the scars are raised because they are more firm or thicker than the surrounding skin, then a topical scar treatment in conjunction with scar massage may help. If the scars are already soft and pliable like normal skin, then a topical scar treatment may not help very much. You could consider consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist who offers scar revision procedures to learn more about your other options.

Hi, my daughter got 2nd degree burn(hot water) a year and 4 months ago on her hand. When she was 8 months old. Doctor said there is not going to be scar. Doctor also said it will take a year for her hand to get back normal color. Now she is 2 years old, her hand still have some white spot. Is it really nothing we can do?

Hi,I had a second degree burn from boiling oil on my index finger last may,i apploed oce immediately on it and applied flemazine and had it bandaged after which the burn formed blisters and all,and also got infected for which I had to do an antibiotic course.now I have a weirdly shaped whitish pink area surrounded by a darker area where it got burnt.so is there any way that this hypo pigmentation can go away or something.

Hi. I’m African, so i have dark skin. I fainted the other day and i got really bad carpet burn above my lip/ below my nose. I developed a scab, which fell off 4 days later. The skin where the scab fell off is very light in colour (basically white). It’s been less than 24 hours since the scab fell off. Is it going to stay white, or will the pigmentation get darker as it continues to heal?

Hi Bale, it takes 1-2 years for a scar to heal. Since this is a brand new scar, it’s difficult to say if it’ll stay white (hypopigmented.) Some ways to help your scar heal properly is to make sure you are eating a healthy diet that contains Vitamin C, Vitamin A, copper and zinc; and include exercise to make sure the area gets lots of good circulation.

Hi, i have my warts removed last saturday. It started to fell off, but it leaves white spots, white small scars. Will it turn back to its normal skin since it was just a very little spots?. However, i have tan skin thats why its more noticeable.

Hello,i had alot of acne on my arms when i was young and,like a dummy i just pick at them with a needle,now that i’m older i have a white skin color like everywhere i picked at the acne but,its only noticable when its hot out,not in the winter.What could i use just to make the spots where my acne was match the look of the rest of my arm?

Hi. I’m African American and my scar has been on my arm for a year now. It has turned black and I don’t know how to lighten it. I’ve tried Mederma but obviously that hasn’t done much help. Can you tell me how to get rid of my scar (because it’s very embarrassing, especially for a 15 year old)?

hi..i scratched my face and had a scab, few days later the scab fell off.. the area where the scab is turned pink..and now turning purple..what color is next,? and also why is it the surrounding edges became lighter than my skin tone?

Hi deb, This sounds like normal healing. Progression depends on individual and skin type. Lighter color at the edges of wound is normal. Purple typically fades over time but can be helped by using some scar products like InviCible Scars.

Hi Monica, it could just be that it is your normal skin coloring, but compared to your tanned skin, looks different. Once your tan has faded you’ll have a better idea if you have a hypopigmented scar or not.

Hi
I have 2 flat white scars because i had a surgury 5 years ago and the size of them is not too big . Its like about 1.5 cm on both sides of my thighs. The problem is they are lighter than my skin and everytime i want to wear a skirt or something the appear badly. As the scars are small, is there a way i can remove or get rid of them by some gel or cream ?

A few months ago I grazed my face and had a small cut under my eye. Theres now a faint purple line scar, where the cut was, but I also have a few small hard white dots under my eye. Any idea what this could be?

Hi Alice, the white dots may also be scarring. Massage the area twice daily for a month to help soften them (it’s likely to be scar tissue.) This is best done when applying your eye cream or moisturizer.

Hi
I got a mosquito bite 3 months ago. My body reacted with a huge blister which I didn’t burst. It eventually collapsed and I have been left with a red scar with a smaller whitish circle inside (resembling the original blister). It is not raised. Will this heal?

Hi, I have a 4 year old son, very happy and boisterous however with every little scrape or scratch he scars. He is Caucasian, Irish and Greek mix so has slightly darker skin and the white marks are really worrying me. His little knees from falling down and has a scar on his back from falling in park which is over 2 years old and still very white. I’ve got two other children who do not scar.

Hey, I have read some of your replies which have given me a little understanding…I have a number of white scars on both sides of my arms from when I was young. I have gone through the doctors channels and other than shaving the skin to make them look like a burn scar they said there is nothing that can be done. I suppose it is obvious what kind of scars I have and suppose I am luck to not have had raised scars as I have seen before. However they are not exactly unnoticeable and am conscious of it career wise. Do you know of any laser treatment that can help with white scarring that is not covered on the NHS? Secondly you have mentioned about tattooing…however, over the years I have found that the paler my skin is the less noticeable, in the summer however due to tanning, they look even whiter…the scars do not turn dark due to UV rays. If I was to get tattooing, but then got a tan, would the lines show up, as scars can not tan?

Hi Rach, we are not in the UK so we can’t speak to what NHS does and does not cover. As for tattooing over the white scars, if you have the scar tattooed, the tattoo will have the color of the ink so the white is not noticeable. The reason your white scar does not darken in the sun is that it healed without melanin (which is the pigment for the skin.)

Hi
I had a 1st/2nd degree burn in Jly both my inner arms from a uvb lamp 10mins of use. the areas have healed pretty well, however I have a white patch inner wrist vein area a couple of white patches on my other inner arm not as noticeable, I have been using moisturing cream , put the white patch around my inner wrist vein area is not going. can you suggest anything to use to bring color back? Thank you

Hi Nick, You may have a traumatic tattoo. Sometimes pigment from foreign objects (eg glass, gravel) can become embedded in the skin and cause permanent discoloration. Some reports have described skin treatments like laser as potentially helping. Definitely worth consulting with a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in that.

Is there any plastic surgery that can be done to remove the white scar . Like skin grafting . The white spot is on the finger and as per one dermatologist grafting cannot be done on the finger. Can you please help

Hi Ankush, Skin grafting will not improve the scar. The scar would be excised and replaced by a patch of new skin (i.e. the skin graft). The outline of the skin graft will be a new scar and you will have the patch-like appearance of the new skin. If your scar is soft, pliable and essentially feels like normal skin, a scar revision won’t help much either. Have you considered tattooing the white scar skin color?

I was at a laser hair removal appointment. The person doing the laser asked me if i wanted her to go over my tattoos on my arms. I asked her what would happen if she did. She said “it will lighten them”.
So i said OK, thinking maybe I wanted them off someday anyway. Then she hit them with the hair removal laser and literally burnt my skin so bad, that there were huge blistery scabs for days, bloody, nasty. Then I contacted the same place telling them my skin was bloody, scab full, and they told me “that would happen with any laser, that’s normal. So i went to a REAL tattoo removal specialist and told him what happened. He told me how the technology in the lasers between one for hair, and one for a laser is totally different. That they melted, burned my skin with their hair laser which is made for HAIR removal, not tattoos. I tried to find a lawyer to help but the few I contacted would’t take the case. Now I am left with big white scars where my tattoo where. I am having 2 of the tattoos professionally removed now, but when they are gone, I will still have this huge white scars that happened from the wrong laser being used on them. So not what can I do? The only thing I can think of is to get 2 more tattoos to cover the white scars. I wish I had another option. The place that did this to me got away with scarring me for life. They are this place https://skinspanewyork.com/location-boston/back-bay/ They should be paying me a hefty amount for this

I got a cat scratch 2 months ago on my face, very small and it is still a light red/pink mark, after the scab came off. The mark is flat. I have been applying Vaseline to it every night and sunblock during the day. Will it continue to fade closely to normal skin color? Should I buy a silicone based scar gel or cream, like Invincible to help it fade or something else?

Hi Carla, petroleum doesn’t fade scars, it only hydrates them. Read here: http://scarsandspots.com/does-petroleum-jelly-help-fade-scars/ The only thing that can fade scars is Vitamin C and then best thing for increasing their elasticity is silicone. You’ll need to apply twice a day for 12 weeks to see any measurable results. IniviCible can fade scars that are darker then your natural skin tone.

Hi my bame us Lisa abd I have a question
A week ago I have a bruse on my nose by falling.
The scar is not healed quite giid as yet
The surrounding is dark to my normal skin colour and the inside of it is whitish and blackish,
How long will it take to go way and heal completely?
Can someone please assist me

Hi…my boyfriend got burt with hot water in the face and chest… I am wondering if his skin will come back normal to his black complexion.. His face started peeling off his skin and showing red. He got an injection and cremes for the burn. Do you think it will come back to his normal skin and how long will it takes?
Worried.

Hi Tenecia, sorry to hear this about your boyfriend. Sounds like the dr’s are doing everything right to help his burn heal. And wound treatment is the most important aspect of scar healing. It takes about 1-2 years for a scar to fully heal. It’s too soon to tell if the new skin is truly without same amount of pigment as his surrounding skin, or if it will eventually become the same color over time.

I had an accident a month ago and injured my face..i had abrasions on face and forehead.. The epidermis was torn out.. I had consulted a plastic surgeon and he put collagen on the wound..after removing that collagen the skin underneath is white as in vitiligo..will it return to normal colour? If so how long does it take to come back to its original colour?

My daughter burned herself with hot water about 3 1/2 weeks ago. We immediately went to the dermatologist where she told us to use silvadene for two weeks then start using silicone sheets and cream. We have been doing that for about two weeks now and it has healed smooth and flat and never did scab. It is now looking more and more pale, more pale than her normal skin color. Is it too soon to be concerned that it will scar with hypopigmantation ? Is the paler skin just part of the healing process ? Should we discontinue the sheets since it seems to be leaning more toward hypo than hyper as far as the scarring goes? Thank you

Hi Cheri, happy to hear that the scar healed smooth and flat – that’s great! Don’t stop using what your dr. has prescribed, as it is her body that determines the color of the scar in the healing process. Each scar heals differently so in the past (and even in the future) she may have a scar that turns brown or more that turn white. The best thing you can do is continue using the silicone sheets and cream, apply sunscreen to protect it, and make sure she is eating a Vitamin-rich diet. The healing process of a scar takes 1-2 years, so 5 1/2 weeks is not enough time to determine the final outcome.

Hi Patty, yes our scar treatment can still fade them. It may take a bit longer than if it were a fresh scar that hasn’t been exposed to the sun. You’ll need to be diligent in wearing sunscreen once you begin treatment to prevent the scar from re-darkening.

Hi Cleopatra, how recent is the burn? If it is only a few months old, then your body is still going through the healing process. Brown indicates hyperpigmentation, but pink could be new skin. Once your burn has done blistering and peeling, it’s best to apply a scar treatment twice daily for about 3 months.

Hello..!! I met with an accident n my lips were injured. The scab peeled off after 3 days but there is white scar on my lip. Rather can say kind of white red fleshy skin. So I want to know that when will be the new skin come back.

Hello, I have a white/pinkish scar on the corner of my lips due to a cold sore I have had. Is there any home remedies to get rid of the scar and turn it back to regular skin? It has been 3 months that I have had it, the scar will not fade and turn into my natural skin color.

Hi Pamela, if the scar is white, there is nothing topically that can help. If it is pink, then you can carefully apply a scar treatment to this corner of your lip. It will definitely be a difficult area to treat since it is so close to your mouth and you want to avoid ingesting any products.

Hello, there is such great info and responses here, I was pre med in school and even using databases and medical books I couldn’t get good info on my burn. My burn occured in end of October 2015, It was a gas burn, 2nd-3rd degree covering nearly the entire underside of my forearm. The worst blisters, which were immediate and largest, were right at the bend of the wrist. It is white, I understand the melanocytes are probably gone and pigmentation won’t come back, but I can see the veins again so that’s good I guess, and hair has started to grow on the underside of the forarm.
My question is, I do have some streaking about 5 inches long and about an inch long, think 2 parallel lines about an inch each running up my arm. Anyway, I have been using mederma and bio oil, bee salves ect.., but the other day it was like a whole layer of skin over the scar just came off like a callus on your heel or something. It is slightly lighter in appearance now, i am wondering if this will continue. “Thankful” this occurred right b4 wi term so until now there has been no sun exposure. Just wondering what else if anything I can do to redude the coloring. Sorry that was long, thanks.

Very hard to to know whether it will happen again. Much will depend on the quality of your skin following the burn injury. If moisturizing like you did removed a top layer of “damaged” skin, it may be that you won’t experience the same thing to the same extent again.

Is it possible have a white scar after a unknown insect bite? I have two white scars that I received after being bitten by an unknown insect. At first I thought it was a mosquito, but there was no bump. Eventually after the itching stoppedand it started the healing process. They scabbed up, and they now healed but are white. I have had mosquito bites after and they did not heal the same. Are there insects that can cause skin trauma that deep to cause hyperpigmentation?

Hi Christina, it could be from a spider or any other type of biting insect. Hyperpigmentation isn’t related to any insect and is related to how your body healed the injury and your lifestyle (eating healthily, non-smoker, exercise, etc.)

Hello, I have had an eyebrow scar for 3 weeks. It is currently pink. I want to use InviCible Scars to help the healing process but would it turn my scar white because “the patented formula helps inhibit melanocytes and decreases melanin production by 80%.”? I am Asian with darker skin. What type of cream should I use? What can I do to prevent my scar whitening?

Hi, I am a young teen. I was popping blackheads the other day, and I guess I was too hard on my nose, because it started to bleed and scab. The scab started releasing puss, and then just dried. Then I pulled it off, I had a white scar. ( on my nose ) is there anything I can do to get the scar back to my original color? Thank you

I used laser tattoo removal on my Leg to get rid of my childhood scars, but after healing and peeling the new skin growing resulted to a white scars. What can i do? Is there any cream to make o good that will increase the production of melanin. Or should I go for makeup

Hi, I had a skin graft on my armpit appx 6 years ago which was successful and the scar has become less and less noticeable until 2 days ago when the whole area has turned white very suddenly and the edges are red and inflamed. Any ideas?

Hi
I got my navel peirced and the woman used a numbing spray and I ended up getting a scab in the middle of my peircing and eventually the scab fell off now I have a white pinkish scar it’s been there for about 2 months now will this go away at the moment I am using kelo-cote scar cream

Hi Rhiya, unfortunately there is no topical cream, even the one you are using, that can change the appearance of a white scar. The light pink will eventually subside on its own since it has only been 2 months.

Hi, I’m glydel from Philippines
I accidentally burn my left foot last December 2016 while I’m cooking, and sadly until now there’s no change on it, it still white scars. How can I get rid of it?
because of this scars im not be able to do what I was supposed to do. I’m lacking of self confidence right now. Please help me.

Hi Glydel, sorry to hear this. There isn’t a topical cream that can take care of white scars, but you may want to speak to your dr about referring you to a dermatologist who may have non-surgical options.

I was burnt below my lower lip
In small circular area
Now after healing white raised skin comes out. Its been 2 month now my skin colour is not coming
Which cream should i apply to get me normal skin colour

Hi
I fell down from my vehicle, just below my leg knee got injured by wound , I got bandaged and injunction also, now after a week by removing bandage middle portion of the wound turned to white, I use to get bandaged everyday morning before going to office and after coming from office I used to remove and apply the ointment and leave itself without bandage but I didn’t expose my wound to water.
What does it means middle portion of wound getting white.
Please I request you to clarify regarding this.

Hello. About 7 months ago i was at the gym and i fainted. I woke up with a nasty carpet burn on my face. It took about 4 weeks to get to where it is today, it had turned white, then got its color back but it looks like theres a stain on my face because its darker than my regular color. When exposed to sun it turns darker. During the healing proccess, i picked the scab from time to time cause it would itch, which is why i think its darker than my color now. I was wondering if it will ever go away, my doctor said about a year to go away but im not convinced. Any thoughts? Can i use treatments to hurry up the healing process?

Hi David, your dr is correct, it takes 1-2 years for a scar to heal. The sun *will* darken scars if you don’t wear sunscreen over them. You can help with the healing process by using a scar cream, but you need to be consistent with it for several months and apply it twice daily. You should also be wearing sunscreen regularly despite the season.

Hi,
I grew up with sever depression, and struggled with self harm, namely cutting, and I have raised dark pink and purple scars all over my arms, thighs, and hips. At this point I am really hoping they will turn white, so they will not be so visible and as eye catching. They have never been exposed to the sun, I’ve always worn something to cover them because I am ashamed of them. Is it possible that they will turn white? what can I use or do to make them less noticeable?
Thank you.

Hi Faith, you might want to read our post on self-injury scars. Whether a scar fades naturally to your own skin tone is based on your body’s ability to heal. This means how you eat, if you exercise, if you smoke, all play a role in how your scar heals. Sometimes our body produces too much pigment, resulting in a darker scar and sometimes it doesn’t produce enough, making it white but still different in color than your skin coloring. If you haven’t tried a scar treatment on your dark pink and purple scars, it’s a good idea to start. Additionally, you can utilize scar massage to help flatten your raised scar.

I had a Plexr treatment under my eye 10 weeks ago (it’s similar like laser, it shrinks the skin and after the treatment you have crusting/scabs)
I picked at the scabs after 5 days. It’s 10 weeks post and the skin turned from white to red and now pink/light pink and sometimes normal skin colour. I’m very afraid i have a permanent scar and the skin wil remain pink forever. When it’s a normal colour and i remove my makeup or wash my face it turns red again.

Please tell me if this is a scar or new pink skin? How long wil it remain pink? Will it ever turn normal permantly or will it turn normal and when touched or heat turn pink forever? Im very scared.

I also would like to know if it is ever a good idea to go in to the sun with this new skin, so it will become similar to my old skin.

Hi Rosa, 10 weeks is relatively a short span of time for healing. As your skin heals it’ll go through variations in color (red, pink, sometimes brown.) If you are doing anything to irritate/inflame it, like rubbing it with makeup remover, it will get red from the inflammation. Are you using a scar treatment to help minimize the redness?

Hello, my daughter has a scar on her face from 2nd and 3rd degree burn. The scar is light in the middle and dark around it. Will invincible scar help even out the tone? She has ethnic skin. Thanks for you help.

Hi Katherine, thanks for your question about InviCible Scars. It will help to fade the darkness of the scar. For scars that are lighter than her skin tone, it cannot help it regain pigment. We have had others with ethnic skin use it, and they reported good results.

I have a question that isn’t related to scars on humans. My dog had surgery which resulted in her getting stitches and then eventually staples. They were along her hip area where much tension caused by movement made them bust open 3-4 days after getting restitched. This last time I was unable to take her back in for restitching due to work. So instead I used steri-strips to help pull the skin together and then covered it with a bandage to keep it clean until five days later when I had off and could take her in. But the next day after placing the bandage over the area after cleaning it good, I noticed it was healing better than how it was with the staples in. But by day four as the site was healing I noticed that the skin around it felt hard and was a whitish light pink color. I now know that this small incision will heal in this manner. But my question is once it’s healed will the hard feeling of the scar eventually soften up and leave a white soft scar instead of a hard one that it is now?
Thank you,
Regina

Hi Regina, if the area is already tight/hard, it is likely to stay that way. Check out our post on scar massage and how it can help soften the skin, it’s obviously meant for humans… but it’s worth a shot on your pup!

I have a question. To describe, i slightly hit my head with my hat on, on a corner side wall by accident Sat night. After it happened i put a bandaid and neosporin on it everyday since Sunday. I had a small brown scab. Its now Wednesday and it left a small white scar mark during the wound healing process. Will this white skin/scar mark eventually fade back into color or is it a permanent mark? Im a african american man.